Obituary of Eileen Stitt Kelble

Dr. Eileen Stitt Whitlock Kelble was born August 23, 1927 in Cut Bank, Montana to William Everett and Margaret (Barthel) Stitt. She passed away Friday, January 11, 2019 at the age of 91. Eileen graduated from Beulah High School and attend Northwestern University and Purdue University, where she graduated with a Masters in Experimental Cooking. Eileen married Jean Riggs Whitlock of Mishawaka, Indiana on November 24, 1948. The couple moved to California where they had two daughters, Vikki and Kim.

After moving to Tulsa in 1964, Eileen began working at the University of Tulsa. What started as a part-time job in the Home Economics Department, soon lead to her achieving a Doctorate of Education in Humane Education from TU and becoming a beloved professor in the College of Education. Throughout her career, Eileen shaped Early Childhood Education in Tulsa in numerous ways. Beyond teaching hundreds of teachers over her forty-plus years of service, she played an instrumental role in the startup of Riverfield Country Day School, KinderCare Day School and University School at the University of Tulsa. She helped start the Gear Up program at TU and the former Harmon Science Center in Tulsa.

After the death of Jean in 1975, Eileen married Denton E. Kelble on April 9, 1977. Eileen is preceded in death by her parents, William and Margaret, and her husbands, Jean and Denton. Eileen is survived by two daughters Vikki Whitlock Pitts of Northridge, California and Kim Whitlock Sisk (James P. Sisk) of Locust Grove, Oklahoma; four grandchildren Kara Y. Farrow, Jennifer Sisk-Miley, Alan Pitts and Anna Pitts; and four great-grandchildren Katherina, Elijah, Nevaeh and Xander.

The family will receive friends 5-7:00 p.m. Wednesday at Ninde Brookside Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 17, 2019 at Ninde Brookside Chapel.  Her interment will be in Sullivan, Indiana this Spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the University of Tulsa Endowment.